Shut-machine



R. MOHLER. Arch for Smut Machines and Grain Separators.

NO. 295297; Patented July 24, 1860.

' EIQQ RICHARD MOHLER, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

SlVIUT-IVEACI-IINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,297, dated July 24, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD MoHLnR, of the city of Lancaster, in thecounty of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a'newanduseful Improvement in the Arches of Smut-Machines and other Grain-Separators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full andexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in placing in the upper part of thearch of a smut machine or other grain separator, a chamber soconstructed and arranged'that the screenings shall be separated from thescourings, dust and other impurities, with which they are at presentmixed by ordinary machines, when separated from the grain.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofthe arch of smut machines, with my improved chamber added; Fig. 2 atransverse section of the center spout, showing its connection with theimproved chamber, and spout C.

The same letters refer to like parts in both figures.

I construct my arch out of any suitable material, and of any given sizerequired, making it consist of three portions or spouts, represented bythe letters A, B, 0. Between the ascending portion of the arch A, andthe central spout B, is placed my improved chamber E, E, S, whichenlarges the size of the opening between these portions of the arch andthat enlargement is regulated by the strength of suction or desired sizeof arch for any given machine. The opening between the central spout B,and the descending spout C, of the arch is no larger than the internalcapacity of the tube form ing the arch, as seen at C, Fig. 2, and isregulated by the movable slide a, g, by means of the attachment 0, screwf, and nut e, on the top D of the arch. The chamber of the arch in thedrawing is left open in front to show its construction; but when inopera tion it has no opening only through those portions with which itis connected. The arch thus constructed and arranged, is placed inconnection with the smut machine, or other separator for which it wasintended, in the usual manner; that is to say the ascending portion A,is connected at P, with 7 the scoured grain as it passes from themachine; the central spout B, unites at T, with the spout carrying offthe screenings, and the descending spout C, is connected at H,

with the suction fan of the machine, through WVlllCh pass the scourings,dust and other 1111- purities, there being no difference in the I modeof attachment to the machine between ,and chamber E, E, S, and causes acurrent of air to pass through the descending scoured grain at the pointP, of the ascending portion of the arch A. The intensity of this currentof air is graduated to any desired degree by the slide a, g, through theattachment 0, and screw 7. The descending grain thus acted on isseparated from its impurities, the perfect portions from their greaterspecific gravity obeying the action of the curernt in the direction ofthe first series of arrows and dotted lines N, while the imperfect andbroken grains, cockle, cheat, chaff, and dust, being lighter are carriedin the direction of the second series of arrows F, when the heavierportions, the broken grains, the cockle, the cheat, &c., are againseparated and fall through the chamber E, E, S, into the spout B, of thearch and are discharged at the point T, into their appropriatereceptacle. lightest of all continue their course in the direction ofthe 3d series of arrows G, and are discharged by themselves through thedescending spout C, of the arch, thus separating with unerring certaintythe various portions of the descending grain as it leaves the machineand keeping each portion by itself.

In order that the distinctive characteristics of my improvement may beeasily recognized let it be observed that in the arches of smut machinesnow in use the construction is as represented by the dotted lines h, h,and g, g. It is therefore evident that while the action on the grain isthe same in either case, in the ascending portion of the arch at N, thedifference becomes manifest as soon as we cross the dotted lines m. Inthe ascending portion A, in the old arch The scouring, dust, and chaffbeing any portion of broken grain or cheat whose specific gravitypermitted its rising above the dotted lines m would have to continue torise to the center of the arch, at G, before it could reach any outletthrough which it could escape. The suction therefore which would raisesuch portions of grain from the dotted line m to the dotted line 77would be very likely to carry those portions over the slide n, g, (whichin the case of the old arch occupied only the diameter of the tube) anddischarge them with the scourings, chaff, dust, &c., through the spoutC, instead of B, as intended, and such has been found to be thepractical result. With my improved chamber added this difficulty is atonce removed for the lighter portions having passed m are not requiredto rise to F, but pass through the chamber E, E, S, into their properspout, B, and are discharged at T, while the scourings and dust continuethrough G, into the spout C, being kept separate and distinct.

The advantages of my improved chamber are not alone confined to thesimple act of cleaning grain, but may be used with the greatest successin the separation of the various qualities, where quality depends onspecific gravity. Experiment has demonstrated that the separation may beso nicely graduated as to effect qualities differing but a few pounds tothe bushel. Such results must necessarily be valuable to those. engagedin the manufacture of the extra varieties of family flour andunattainable by the means now generally employed.

I am aware that arches differing from mine only in the construction ofthe chamber (as in the case of G. B. Barnes) have heretofore beenemployed on smut machines and separators. I therefore make no claim tosuch arches, but

What I do claim as my invention and wish to secure by Letters Patent isPlacing in the arches of smut machines or other grain separators achamber constructed as described and when operating substantially asspecified.

RICHARD MOHLER.

Witnesses:

ADRIAN V. B. ORR, WM. B. WILEY.

